Process and apparatus for expanding metal shells



W. KLUCKE.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING METAL SHELLS.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 9. I920.

1,436,659. Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

a 1X 20 J0 M 22 6 j z s z] I l 14 A] 47 1 i 1 a q 45 34 .54 7 1" 5/ f 7"? 1 "'V \fi\ \s 51 E Q x Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KLOCKE, O1! WOODHAVEN, NEW YORK, ABSIGNOB TOE. W. BLISS COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

FROCESB AND APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING METAL SHELLS.

Application filed February 8, 1920. Serial No. 357,209.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Knoclm, a. citizen of the United States of Amerlca, residing in Woodhaven, in the borough and county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Expanding Metal Shells, of WhlCh the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lmprovements in processes and apparatus for forming hollow sheet-material articles, and aims to provide im rovements therein.

ollow metalware such as stew pans, sauce ans, and the like having bulging sides (usua ly oval) have usually been heretofore made by first drawing a plain cyhndrical metal shell, and then trans erring such cylindrical shell to another press to bulge or expand the sides, the apparatus generally used bein of the character shown 1n U. patent to na No. 698,404 grantedAprll 22nd, 1902. eretofore, however, it has been necessary to bead or bead and wire the edge of the cylindrical metal shell, as shown In Fig. 6 of the Knapp patent, before bulging or expanding the shell, in order to prevent the rim of the shell or article from becoming distorted or split.

The present invention provides a process and apparatus whereby metal or similar) shells may be bulged or expan ed without the necessity of beading, or beading and wiring, the edge of the shell, and also admits of articles being formed with the sides bulged or expanded only a portion of the height of the shell, and with irre arly bulged or expanded sides. Such ulged shells may be subsequently s un so as to form articles from drawn she ls heretofore formed only by spinning, such for example as metal water pitchers with contracted necks.

The invention further provides a novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, and defined in the appended claims.

' An embodiment of this apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, said embodiment also serving to illustrate the process.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of parts embodying the invention, the metal shell to be expanded being shown in place prior to the operation of the parts to expand the said shell, f

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 wherein tgellparts have been operated to expand the s e Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line III-III Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top view, broken away, and showing in section some of the underlying parts.

In said drawings:

Numeral 10 designates an expanding die of suitable construction, preferably comprising a plurality of sectional parts 11 and a plug or expander 12. The plug 12 is conveniently formed with a tapered or frustoconical end 14. The sections 11 are preferably formed with corresponding adjacent faces 16. The sectional pleces 11 are preferably held together by springs 18, 19, fitting in recesses 20, 21 formed in the sectional pieces 11. These springs 18, 19 act to draw the sectional pieces together, and allow said sectional pieces 11 to move under the action of the expander or plug 12 against the tapered faces 16 of said sectional pieces 11. The outer faces 22 of the sectional pieces 11 are curved or shaped in accordance with the shape to be imparted to the metal shell X.

Numeral 30 designates a plate or rest on which the metal shell X may be placed in position for action thereon by the expanding means. It preferably has a contour corresponding tothat of the part of the shell X which comes in contact therewith. The blank is preferably held against the rest 30 by means of a presser foot 31. The parts 30, 31 in effect constitute a clamp for holding the shell X in lace, and the part 31 also preferably is uti ized to produce relative motion between the plug 12 and the sectional pieces 11 of the expanding die whereby to force the sectional pieces 11 torward and cause them to effect the expansion of the shell X.

When the presser foot 31 is thus utilized to effect the expansion of the sectional pieces 11 of the expansion die 10, it is conveniently mounted upon the reclprocatory plunger by an ordinary press, and the plug or expander 12 is mounted upon the be 33 of the press, the plug 12, as here shown, bemg conveniently attached to the bed 33 throu h the intermediary of a plate 34 to WlllO 1t is attached.

Numeral 40 designates a blank holderpr means for preventing distortion of the rim or other portion of the shell adjacent to the portion to be bulged. This blank holder 40 is conveniently in the form of a sleeve whlch surrounds and is slidable upon the plug or expander 12. The blank holder 40 is normally pressed to a position to enter the mouth of the shell, when the shell is upon the rest 30 prior to the operation of the expanding die 10. Moreover the blank holder 40 preferably enters the shell X to a sufficient extent to allow the blank to contract in height under the expansion of its sides,

""without drawing or pulling off of the said blank holder 40. The blank holder 40 is conveniently pressed to its initial position by means of springs 42 acting against rods 43 hearing against the said blank holder 40. The upper edge 45 of the blank holder also conveniently bears against the lower ends or shoulders 47 of the sectional pieces 11 of the expanding die 10, the upper ends or shoulders 48 of said pieces 11 conveniently bearing against the under side of the rest 30. The blank holder 40, through its springs 42 acts to normally press the said sectional pieces against the underside 48 of said rest 30, so that when the rest 30 is free to move upwardly, the blank holder 40 pushes the sectional pieces 11 upwardly along with the said rest 30. The action of the springs 18, 19 act to contract the said pieces 11 as they move upwardly along the tapered side of the plug 12. In order to limit and guide the plate 30 in its movements, up and down, it is conveniently attached to a slide 50, slidably mounted in a bore 52 in the plug 12. The slide 50 may be provided with a collar 54 which abuts against a shoulder 55 in the bore 52 which stops the plate at the il pper limit of its, movement as shown in Inasmuch as the end of the plug 12 may project only to a slight extent beyond the lower ends of the sectional pieces 11 in certain operative positions thereof, the slide 50 is preferably provided with a tapered portion 57, corresponding to the taper 14 of the plug, in order to support the upper ends of the sectional pieces 11. It is advantageous to support the upper ends of the sectional pieces 11 during the initial part of the expanding action of the plug on the said sectional pieces 11.

Operation.

A metal shell X, which may be previously drawn is placed over the expanding die 10 and bears upon the plate or rest 30. 'Ilhe blank holder 40 projects within the shell. The presser foot 31 thereupon moves against the shell and presses it against the rest 30. Continued pressure of the presser foot 31 presses against the resilient blank holder 40 through the rest 30 and sectional pieces 11 of the expansion die 10, causing the blank holder 40 to yield and therest 30 and sectional pieces 11 to follow. The plug 12 being stationary with relation to the sectional pieces 11, causes the sectional pieces 11 to move laterally against the springs 18, 19, thereby causing th die 10 as a whole to expand. The expansion of the pieces 11 draws and shapes the contiguous parts of the shell X. The portion of the blank holder 40 within the shell acts to support the rim or portion of the shell adjacent to the part undergoing expansion, against deformation, or collapse. As the height of the shell shortens under the expanding or drawing operation, its rim portion slides on the blank holder.

After the presser foot has moved the sectional pieces outwardly to the desired degree, it is moved upwardly, whereupon the springs 42 re-act, causing the blank holder 40 to follow. The blank holder 40 in turn moves the sectional pieces 11 of the die 10, and the rest 30 so as to follow the presser foot 31. The upward movement of the blank holder 40, sectional pieces 11, and plate 30 is arrested in suitable manner, as by a collar 54 on the slide 50 striking a shoulder 55 upon the bore 52 in the plug 12. In this position the sectional pieces 11 are retracted by the springs 18, 19, and the bulged or expanded shell may be removed from the die, and another shell placed over the expanding die. The presser foot 31 continues its movement after the moving parts 30, 40, etc. have been stopped, thereby enabling the shell to be removed and replaced upon the expanding die.

While the presser foot 31 has been described as the moving part, it willbe underq stood that the part 31 may be fixed and the plug 12, expanding die 10, and-blank holder 40 may be mounted so as to move toward and away from the presser foot 31; or the presser foot 31 and also the part car ing the plug 12, expanding die 10, and blank sary or desirous.

1,4ae,ese

holder 40 may be movable toward and from one another.

Process.

In carrying out the process, a suitable shell is laced over an expanding die of an suitab e construction, as for example, t e expandin die 10, and the rim portion of the shell a jacent to the portion to be expanded is held against deformation or colla so, by any suitable means, as for examp e, the blank holder 40. By preventing the distortion of the rim portion of the shell, it is not necessa to head, or bead and wire, the rim of t e shell previous to bulging or expanding. Moreover, according to the present invention the shell may be bulged for any portion of its height, the remain-mg portion of the shell maintaining its form. The portion of the shell which has not been bulged or expanded, may be subsequently operated upon, as by spinning, to contract the shell beyond the bulged portion.

In fact any desired bending operation may be performed upon the portion beyond the bulged or expanded portion, which is neces- Moreover the step of preventing of distortion or collapsing of the portion of the shell which is not to be bul ed or ex anded, permits of the shell being bul e in an unsymmetrical form.

e apparatus of my invention ma receive other embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described. Moreover the steps of the process are not limited to any specific adjunctive apparatus, the

resent apparatus being illustrative of a preerred and convenient apparatus.

What I claim is:

1. A process of shaping shells, com rising bulging said shell for a portion of its ength, by a die action substantially at right angles to the axis of the shell, and supporting the portion of said shell immediatel above the ortion being bulged, against inward colapse or distortion, said portion of the shell above the portion being bulged being free to slide durin the drawing action on the portion being Eulged.

2. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprisin mechanical parts acting substantially at rig I: an les to the axis of the shell for bulging a s ell, and means for preventing distortion of the open end of the shell, immediately above the portion being bulged.

3. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising mechanical parts actin substantially at right an les to the axis 0 the shell for bulging a s ell, and means for preventing distortion of the open end of the shell, said latter means comprising a blank holder adapted to engage t e inner side of said shell, immediately above the portion being bulged.

4. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding die, and an inside blank holder immediatel adjacent said expasdisg die, said expan ing die comprising sections, and means for movlng said sections outwardly.

5. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding die, and a blank holder adjacent said expanding die, said expanding die com rising sections, and means for moving sai sections outwardly, said means comprising a plug having ta ered sides, said plug and sections having re ative movement whereby said sections are moved outward, and said blank holder having the same arrangement, as regards movement relative said plug, as said sections.

6. An apparatus for shaping shells, comrising an expanding die, and a blank holder adjacent said expanding die, said expanding die comprising sections, a plate, said sections being located between said plate and blank holder, a tapered plug, and means acting upon said plate for moving said die-sections along said tapered plug to produce outward movement thereof, said blank holder being slidable to move with said die-sections.

7. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding die, and a blank holder adjacent said expanding die, said expanding die comprising sectlons, a plate, said sections bein located between said plate and blank ho der, a tapered plug, and means acting upon said plate for moving said die-sections along said tapered plug to produce outward movement thereof, said blank holder being slidable to move with said die-sections, and means for moving said blank holder to move said die-sections and plate in the opposite direction whereby said parts may be moved to initial position.

8. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding die, and a blank holder adjacent panding die comprising sections, a plate, said sections being located between said plate and blank holder, a tapered plug, and means actin upon said plate for moving said die-sections along said tapered plug to produce outward movement thereof said blank holder being guidable to move with said die-sections said plate having means for supporting the ends of said die-sections when said plug and die-sections are in initial position.

9. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding die, and a blank holder adjacent said expanding die, said expanding die comprising sections, a plate, said sections bein located between said plate and blank hol der, a tapered plug, and means acting upon said plate for moving said expanding die, said exsaid die-sections along said tapered plug to roduce outward movement thereof, said iilankholder being slidable to move with said die-sections, said plate having a slide attached thereto, said slide having means for supporting the ends of said die-sections when said plug and die-sections are in initial position.

10. An apparatus for shaping shells, comprising an expanding d1e, and a hlank holder adjacent saldexpandlng die, said expending die comprising sections, a plate,

said sections being located between said plate and blank holder, a tapered plug, and means acting upon said plate for moving said diesections along said tapered plug to produce outward movement thereof, said blank holder being slidable to move with said dieseotions, said plate having a slide attached thereto, and a stop for limiting the movement of said plate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. K

WILLIAM KLOCKE.

Certificate of corredioll.

It is hereby certified am in mm Patent No. 1,436,659, granted November 28, 1922, upon the application of Williamv Klocke, of Woodhaven, New York, for an and Apparatus for Expanding Metal Shells, on error improvement in P r: appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 115, claim 8, for the Word guidable read ale'dable; and that the said IAwem Patent should read with this correction therein that the same my conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiloe.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of December, A. 1)., 192;

[ KARL FENNING,

Acting G'omme'ua'om of Paton. 

